Recent Research in Science and Technology 2011, 3(1): 97-100

ISSN: 2076-5061
www.recent-science.com

PHYSICS

ABSORPTION COEFFICIENT OF GLASS MEDIUM – EXPOSED TO SODIUM

LIGHT USING LDR
Y.B. Kannan∗
Department of Physics, A.P.S.A.College, Tiruppattur – 630 211, Tamil Nadu, India

Abstract
The absorption coefficient of glass medium (green and violet color glasses) of various thicknesses, when the medium is
exposed to sodium light has been studied using LDR. The value of absorption coefficient has been found almost constant in
all cases as expected.
Keywords: Absorption Coefficient; Anisotropic Solid; EM wave; LDR

Introduction plate is taken as ‘x’. The readings are tabulated as

“Absorption coefficient is a measure of the rate of
decrease in intensity of electromagnetic radiation when
it passes through a given substance”.
Generally, the absorption spectrum of a substance
can be observed by passing white light through it and
examining the transmitted light with a spectroscope
and from that the absorption coefficient will be
calculated. . In this work, the absorption coefficient is
calculated using Light Dependent Resistor (LDR). The
basic principle of LDR is that the resistance depends
on the intensity of the light falling on it. We know that
current flowing through LDR is proportional to intensity
of light falling on it and resistance is inversely
proportional to current. So, resistance is inversely
proportional to intensity.
Experimental setup
Light would be removed from the transmitted
beam by scattering as well as absorption, but the
scattering is reduced if the substance is in a
homogenous state such as a single crystal, a liquid, or
an amorphous solid. In true absorption the light
disappears, the energy being converted into heat. The
absorption depends on the nature of the body as well
as on the radiation used.
Ordinary glasses with green color and violet color
of various thicknesses have been used in this work.
Sodium light (15 Watts) is placed inside a dark room.
The given glasses, one by one, of a particular color is
placed at a specified distances from the lamp. LDR
with multi-meter is placed next to glass plates. The
knob of multi meter is in 20k ohms range. The value of
resistance in multi-meter without any glass plate is
taken as Ro. The value of resistance in multi-meter with
glass plate is taken as Rx. The distance of LDR from
sodium lamp is taken as‘d’. The thickness of the glass
shown in the below tables.
No medium (except vacuum) is perfectly
transparent when light passes through it. When light
passes through a medium, its energy is partially
absorbed; increasing the internal energy of the medium
and the intensity (power per unit area) is
correspondingly attenuated. The decrease in intensity
(dI) is found to be proportional to the initial intensity (I),
and the thickness (dx) through which the light passes.
Mathematically it is given by dI = - α I dx, …(1) where
the proportionality constant α is called absorption
coefficient, which depends on the material.
The intensity after passage through a slab of
thickness x can be obtained by integrating the equation
(1), we get Ix = Ioe-αx… (2) Where Io is the intensity at x
= 0, Ix is the intensity at a distance x.
In this work the intensity is measured indirectly by
measuring the change in the resistance of the LDR
before and after the light passing through the medium
of given thickness. So the formula in terms of
resistance becomes, Rx = Roeαx… (3) Where Ro is the
resistance at x = 0, Rx is the resistance at a distance x.
From equ.(3) the absorption coefficient is given by
α = [log (Rx/Ro)] /x.

∗
Corresponding Author, Email: ybkans@gmail.com
 Y.B.Kannan/Rec Res Sci Tech 3 (2011) 97-100

Tabulation

Table 1: To find the absorption coefficient of green glass plate

‘d’
No. Value of Resistance in Multimeter
cm
with green glass of with green glass of
without glass Ro thickness with green glass of thickness thickness
(KΩ) x1 = 4.876x10-3m x2 = 9.752x10-3m Rx2 (KΩ) x3 = 14.628x10-3m
Rx1 (KΩ) Rx3 (KΩ)
1 15 3 6 13 40
2 30 4 10 19 44
3 45 5 13 26 59
4 60 7 18 37 94
5 75 10 23 47 124

Model Calculation: α = [log(26/5)] / 9.752x10-3.

d=15cm α = 73.4211.
1) Ro = 3K. Rx1 = 6K. x1 = 4.876x10-3m.
α = [log(6/3)] / 4.876x10-3. d=30cm.
α = 61.737. 3) Ro = 4K. Rx3 = 44K. x3 = 14.628x10-3m.
α = [log(44/4)] /14.628x10-3.
d=45cm α = 71.19173.
2) Ro = 5K. Rx2 = 26K. x2 = 9.752x10-3m.

Table 2: Absorption coefficient of green glass plate

No. ‘d’ cm Absorption coefficient α ( m-1)

x1 = 4.876x10-3m. x2 = 9.752x10-3m. x3 = 14.620x10-3m.
1 15 61.737 65.301 76.903
2 30 81.611 69.390 71.191
3 45 85.105 73.421 73.276
4 60 84.121 74.149 77.114
5 75 74.185 68.918 74.741

Table 3: Ratio of change in the resistance value and the absorption coefficient value in the multi-meter, when the green glass plate’s
thickness increases two times. (From 4.888mm to 9.776mm)

No. ‘d’ cm Rx2 (9.752mm) / Rx1(4.876mm) αx2(9.752mm) / αx1(4.876mm)

1 15 13 / 6 = 2.166 65.301 / 61.737 = 1.057
2 30 19 / 10 =1.90 69.390 / 81.611 = 0.850
3 45 26 /13 = 2.00 73.421 / 85.105 = 0.862
4 60 37 / 18 = 2.05 74.149 / 84.121 = 0.881
5 75 47 / 23 = 2.04 68.918 / 74.185 = 0.919

Table 4: Ratio of change in the resistance value and the absorption coefficient value in the multimeter, when the green glass plate’s
thickness increases three times. (From 4.888mm to 14.628mm)

No. ‘d’ cm R x3(14.628mm) / R x1(4.876mm) α x3 (14.628mm) / α x1(4.876mm)

1 15 40 / 6 = 6.66 76.903 / 61.737 = 1.245
2 30 44 / 10 = 4.4 71.191 / 81.611 = 0.872
3 45 59 /13 = 4.5 73.276 / 85.105 = 0.861
4 60 94 / 18 = 5.2 77.114 / 84.121 = 0.916
5 75 124 / 23 = 5.3 74.741 / 74.185 = 1.007
 Y.B.Kannan/Rec Res Sci Tech 3 (2011) 97-100

Table 5: Ratio of change in the resistance value and the absorption coefficient value in the multimeter which is connected in parallel to the
LDR, when the green glass plate’s thickness increases one and half times. (From 9.752mm to 14.628mm)

No ‘d’ cm R x3 (14.628mm) / R x2(9.752mm) α x3(14.628mm) / α x2(9.752mm)

1 15
2 30
3 45
4 60
5 75
40 / 13 = 3.07 76.903 / 65.301 = 1.177
44 / 19 = 2.31 71.191 / 69.390 = 1.025
59 /26 = 2.26 73.276 / 73.421 = 0.998
94 / 37 = 2.5 77.114 / 74.149 = 1.039
124 / 47 = 2.6 74.741 / 68.918 = 1.084

Table 6: To find the absorption coefficient of violet glass plate

‘d’
No. Value of Resistance in Multimeter
cm
with violet glass with violet glass with violet glass
without glass of thickness of thickness of thickness
Ro (KΩ) x1 = 4.888x10-3m x2 = 9.776x10-3m x3 = 14.628x10-3m
Rx1 (KΩ) Rx2 (KΩ) Rx3 (KΩ)
1 15 3 10 37 94
2 30 4 15 52 117
3 45 5 20 69 134
4 60 7 27 83 151
5 75 10 35 110 193

Model calculation: α = [log(52/4)] /9.776x10-3.

d=15cm. α = 113.946
1) Ro = 3K. Rx = 10K. x = 4.888x10-3m.
α = [log(10/3)] /4.888x10-3. d=75cm.
α = 106.971. 1) Ro = 10K. Rx = 193K. x = 14.664x10-3m.
α = [log(193/10)] /14.664x10-3.
d=30cm. α=87.667
2) Ro = 4K. Rx = 52K. x = 9.776x10-3m.

Table 7: Absorption coefficient of violet glass plate

‘d’ Absorption coefficient α ( m-1)
No.
cm x1 = 4.888x10-3m. x2 = 9.776x10-3m. x3 = 14.664x10-3m.
1 15 106.971 111.608 102.018
2 30 117.436 113.946 99.981
3 45 123.171 116.599 97.390
4 60 119.939 109.858 90.962
5 75 111.306 106.525 87.667

Table 8: Ratio of change in the resistance value and the absorption coefficient value in the multimeter, when the violet glass plate’s
thickness increases two times. (From 4.888mm to 9.776mm)

No ‘d’ cm Rx2(9.776mm) / Rx1(4.888mm) α x2(9.776mm) / α x1(4.888mm)

1 15 37 / 10 = 3.7 111.608 / 106.971 = 1.043
2 30 52 / 15 = 3.46 113.946 / 117.436= 0.970
3 45 69 / 20 = 3.45 116.599 / 123.171 = 0.946
4 60 83 / 27 = 3.07 109.858 / 119.939 = 0.915
5 75 110 / 35 = 3.14 106.525 / 111.306 = 0.957
 Y.B.Kannan/Rec Res Sci Tech 3 (2011) 97-100

Table 9: Ratio of change in the resistance value and the absorption coefficient value in the multimeter, when the violet glass plate’s
thickness increases three times. (From 4.888mm to 14.628mm)
No ‘d’ cm Rx3(14.628mm) / Rx1(4.888mm) α x3 (14.628mm) / α x1(4.888mm
1 15 94 / 10 = 9.4 102.018 / 106.971 = 0.953
2 30 117 / 15 = 7.8 99.981 / 117.436 = 0.851
3 45 134 / 20 = 6.7 97.390 / 123.171 = 0.790
4 60 151 / 27 = 5.6 90.962 / 119.939 = 0.758
5 75 193 / 35 = 5.5 87.667 / 111.306 = 0.787

Table 10: Ratio of change in the resistance value and the absorption coefficient value in the multimeter, when the violet glass plate’s
thickness increases one and half times. (From 9.776mm to 14.664mm)

‘d’ Rx3(14.664mm) / α x3(14.664mm) / α

No
cm Rx2(9.776mm) x2(9.776mm)
102.018 / 111.608 =
1 15 94 / 37 = 2.5
0.914
2 30 117 / 52 = 2.25 99.981 / 113.946 = 0.877
3 45 134 / 69 = 1.94 97.390 / 116.599 = 0.835
4 60 151 / 83 = 1.81 90.962 / 109.858 = 0.828
5 75 193 / 110 = 1.75 87.667 / 106.525 = 0.823

Discussion and Conclusion intensity of the incident light. Again owing to

In the case of green glass plate,
• When the thickness increases twice, the ratio
of resistance for those two thicknesses also
varies twice at the corresponding distances.
• When the thickness increases thrice, the ratio
of resistance for those two thicknesses varies
from 4.5 times to 6.5 at the corresponding
distances.
• When the thickness increases one and half
times the ratio of resistance for those two
thicknesses varies from 2.2 times to 3 times
at the corresponding distances.
In the case of violet glass plate
• When the thickness increases twice, the ratio
of resistance for those two thicknesses varies
from 3.0 to 3.7 at the corresponding distances.
• When the thickness increases thrice, the ratio
of resistance for those two thicknesses varies
from 5.5 times to 9.4 times at the
corresponding distances.
• When the thickness increases one and half
times, the ratio of resistance for those two
thicknesses varies from 1.75 to 2.5 at the
corresponding distances.
The variation in absorption coefficient is due to the
following fact:
• When attempting to determine the absorption
coefficient, it must be remembered that in the
equation I = Ioe-αx, Io is the intensity of the
light that enters the body; since some light is
reflected at the first surface, it is not the
reflection at the second surface, I is not the
emergent intensity for a body of total
thickness x.
• The variation in absorption coefficient in this
work is due to the fact that the instrument
used in this experiment may not be very
sensitive to reflect the actual nature of glass
plate.
• When the thickness increases, it need not
necessarily increase linearly as absorption
formula is exponential.
The losses due to reflection as mentioned in the
first point can be eliminated by measuring the
emergent intensity for two different thicknesses.
1. In all cases, the absorption
coefficient for a given type of glass
plate is almost constant, as
expected.
2. From the above fact, it seems that
violet glass plate absorbs more
yellow light than that of green glass
plate.
Reference
White, H.E., Jenkins, F.A., Fundamentals Of Optics,
4TH International Edition, (1981), McGraw Hill,
p.no.457 – 468.